Spence, Jones positive as Draft nears

By BRANDON WALKER | Daily News

Published: Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 09:04 PM.

With his dream just around the corner, Terren Jones is just trying to fill the hours of each day.

Jones, a 6-foot-8, 345-pound mountain of an offensive tackle from Alabama State University and Choctaw High School, has been doing anything he can to keep busy in these last days before the NFL Draft, an event that could change his life.

"It's crazy," said Jones. "I do some cardio workouts every morning, then I will do some film work, maybe go to the gym twice a day. If I didn't stay busy, I'd never stop thinking about it. I'm just excited about the possibilities in front of me."

Jones isn't the only one. Akeem Spence, a 6-foot-1, 307-pound defensive tackle that graduated from Fort Walton Beach High in 2009 is in the same boat. After graduating from the University of Illinois in three-and-a-half years, Spence opted to forgo his final season of eligibility in Champaign to enter this year's draft, which begins Thursday.

While projections for the pair vary, both local products give area fans added motivation to watch this year's draft, which concludes next Saturday. The first round is set for Thursday night, rounds two and three for Friday, and rounds three through seven are on Saturday.

Different paths, same destination

While both have strong local roots, the roads each took to arrive at the 2013 NFL Draft couldn't be any more different. Spence chose to attend the University of Illinois after fielding offers from several midwestern schools in 2009. After sitting out his redshirt season, he hit the ground running in 2010, earning Freshman All-America status. From there, Spence was a Second-Team All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore and Honorable Mention as a junior, rankings second and third on the Illini in tackles along the way. After receiving his bachelor's degree in communications in December, Spence announced his decision to enter the draft in a Dec. 21 press conference.

"It's just a dream of mine," said Spence of his decision in the press conference. "I've been wanting this since I started playing football at the age of seven."

Underlooked coming out of Choctaw, Jones ended up in Montgomery, Ala., at Alabama State. Once there, Jones became a cornerstone for the Hornets, serving as one of the team's most dependable building blocks at left tackle. After breaking into the lineup midway through his freshman season, Jones started every game for the rest of his career and became a star at the small-school level.

Buildup to the future

Once firmly in the draft pool, the local pair each took turns shining. Spence is hoping to join a successful group of Illinois defensive linemen who have thrived in the NFL after leaving college early, a group that includes Corey Liuget and Whitney Mercilus. At the NFL Combine in March, Spence showed raw strength to go along with his speed up front, as he produced 37 reps of 225-pounds on the bench press, good for third among all defensive linemen.

NFL Draft experts like Spence's speed and agility off the ball, and he fits the mold of classic run-stopper at the next level. CBS Sports NFL analyst Pat Kirwan is one expert particularly impressed with Spence, listing the Fort Walton Beach native as one of the top 10 most explosive players in the draft.

On his CBSSports.com draft profile, Kirwan and other scouts weighed in on Spence, saying "Spence is a physical tackler and powerful hitter, showing good range and mobility for an interior lineman. He has good awareness to find the run lane and halt ballcarriers. Spence isn't much of a pass rusher at this point (3.5 career sacks), but has good experience, starting every game for Illinois the past three seasons (38 starts). Good experience, starting every game for Illinois the past three seasons (38 starts)."

Jones, meanwhile, has also enjoyed post-career attention as the draft nears. Listed by ProFootballBible.com as one of the top five small-school players in the draft, Jones has heard from several NFL teams. On Friday, the offensive tackle went through his paces in a personal workout for the Atlanta Falcons, afterwards sending out a tweet saying "That workout was fantastic. #Blessed."

Where they're headed

With his size and mobility, Jones has turned heads and has gained the attention of several teams. In addition to the Falcons, Jones has also received great interest from the Seattle Seahawks and the Baltimore Ravens, the defending Super Bowl champs.

Projected as a late-round draft choice or an undrafted free agent pickup, Jones will almost assuredly get a chance to prove himself with a professional team.

"I know that whether I'm drafted or not, somebody will take a chance on me and I'll get the opportunity to prove myself," said Jones. "That's all I want. I just need that chance."

With his name likely being called on Saturday, Jones plans to leave Montgomery Thursday and watch the draft at home over the weekend.

Spence, meanwhile, looks like a virtual lock to get drafted. Slotted by most experts as a mid-round selection, Spence's name most often appears in the third and fourth rounds of mock drafts, with teams like the Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys mentioned as possible landing spots. But according to NationalFootballPost.com, Spence is seeing a surge in his draft stock recently, as the website lists Spence as one of five players surging as the draft nears, projecting the former Viking to possibly sneak into the second round.

Profile: Ranked as the 10th best defensive tackle in the draft by CBSSports.com, Spence opted to forgo his senior season of eligibility at Illinois to enter the draft after a decorated career in Champaign. Spence, who signed with Illinois after a standout career at Fort Walton Beach, was named a Freshman All-America performer in 2010 before earning All Big-Ten honors as a sophomore and a junior. A classic run-stopping defensive tackle, Spence turned in a strong performance at the NFL Combine in late February. The defensive lineman lifted 225-pounds 37 times, good for third-best among linemen. According to CBS Football analyst Pat Kirwan, Spence ranks among the ten most explosive players in this year's draft, and predictions on Spence's draft position generally fall in the third or fourth round.

The experts say: "In a year with numerous high end defensive tackles, Spence has slid through the draft process with virtually no attention from the media, but NFL teams really like what they have seen. A highly competitive player with great intangibles, Spence impressed many with a strong workout at his pro day, which convinced teams he has the athleticism to carry over his production to the NFL. Although he lacks ideal height, Spence’s initial quickness, ability to play with leverage, playing strength and top level athleticism have teams confident he can be a starting DT in a 43 scheme or DE in a 34 scheme. Do not be surprised if Spence gets drafted higher than many of the other more publicized DT’s and ends up being selected in the second round." - NationalFootballPost.com

Teams that could be interested: When talking about teams that want to get stronger up front defensively, the list is long. But teams that seem to be paying the most attention to Spence include the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears among others.

Profile: An overlooked recruit coming out of Choctaw High School four years ago, Jones headed to Alabama State, where he became one of the SWAC's best and most reliable players. After earning playing time as a freshman, Jones quickly asserted himself as a cornerstone for Alabama State, starting every game from his sophomore season until his career ended. In that span, Jones earned All-SWAC honors for three straight seasons, and in 2012, he was a critical building block for an offense that scored a conference-best 33 points per game. Though he played at a small school well under the radar of most media outlets, scouts know exactly who Jones is, as his pro-day at Alabama State brought in a record number of scouts to Montgomery. According to NFL Draft expert Gil Brandt, Jones stood out during the workout. Projections for small-school players can be erratic, but scouts believe Jones could be a late-round draft choice or a valuable find in post-draft free agency.

The experts say: "The first thing you will hear about Terren Jones is his mammoth size, standing at 6-8, 345. The thing that the scouts hear most about is how gracefully this left tackle can move for a man that big. After his recent pro day at Alabama State that drew in a record number of scouts, Terren has positioned himself to not be one of the top Tackles coming out of a small school but one of the top small-school prospects period." - NFLDraftBible.com

Teams that could be interested: Draft followers have noticed that the Baltimore Ravens, the defending Super Bowl champions, have shown great interest in Jones, as have the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons were in Montgomery, Ala., on Friday to give Jones a private workout.

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With his dream just around the corner, Terren Jones is just trying to fill the hours of each day.

Jones, a 6-foot-8, 345-pound mountain of an offensive tackle from Alabama State University and Choctaw High School, has been doing anything he can to keep busy in these last days before the NFL Draft, an event that could change his life.

"It's crazy," said Jones. "I do some cardio workouts every morning, then I will do some film work, maybe go to the gym twice a day. If I didn't stay busy, I'd never stop thinking about it. I'm just excited about the possibilities in front of me."

Jones isn't the only one. Akeem Spence, a 6-foot-1, 307-pound defensive tackle that graduated from Fort Walton Beach High in 2009 is in the same boat. After graduating from the University of Illinois in three-and-a-half years, Spence opted to forgo his final season of eligibility in Champaign to enter this year's draft, which begins Thursday.

While projections for the pair vary, both local products give area fans added motivation to watch this year's draft, which concludes next Saturday. The first round is set for Thursday night, rounds two and three for Friday, and rounds three through seven are on Saturday.

Different paths, same destination

While both have strong local roots, the roads each took to arrive at the 2013 NFL Draft couldn't be any more different. Spence chose to attend the University of Illinois after fielding offers from several midwestern schools in 2009. After sitting out his redshirt season, he hit the ground running in 2010, earning Freshman All-America status. From there, Spence was a Second-Team All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore and Honorable Mention as a junior, rankings second and third on the Illini in tackles along the way. After receiving his bachelor's degree in communications in December, Spence announced his decision to enter the draft in a Dec. 21 press conference.

"It's just a dream of mine," said Spence of his decision in the press conference. "I've been wanting this since I started playing football at the age of seven."

Underlooked coming out of Choctaw, Jones ended up in Montgomery, Ala., at Alabama State. Once there, Jones became a cornerstone for the Hornets, serving as one of the team's most dependable building blocks at left tackle. After breaking into the lineup midway through his freshman season, Jones started every game for the rest of his career and became a star at the small-school level.

Buildup to the future

Once firmly in the draft pool, the local pair each took turns shining. Spence is hoping to join a successful group of Illinois defensive linemen who have thrived in the NFL after leaving college early, a group that includes Corey Liuget and Whitney Mercilus. At the NFL Combine in March, Spence showed raw strength to go along with his speed up front, as he produced 37 reps of 225-pounds on the bench press, good for third among all defensive linemen.

NFL Draft experts like Spence's speed and agility off the ball, and he fits the mold of classic run-stopper at the next level. CBS Sports NFL analyst Pat Kirwan is one expert particularly impressed with Spence, listing the Fort Walton Beach native as one of the top 10 most explosive players in the draft.

On his CBSSports.com draft profile, Kirwan and other scouts weighed in on Spence, saying "Spence is a physical tackler and powerful hitter, showing good range and mobility for an interior lineman. He has good awareness to find the run lane and halt ballcarriers. Spence isn't much of a pass rusher at this point (3.5 career sacks), but has good experience, starting every game for Illinois the past three seasons (38 starts). Good experience, starting every game for Illinois the past three seasons (38 starts)."

Jones, meanwhile, has also enjoyed post-career attention as the draft nears. Listed by ProFootballBible.com as one of the top five small-school players in the draft, Jones has heard from several NFL teams. On Friday, the offensive tackle went through his paces in a personal workout for the Atlanta Falcons, afterwards sending out a tweet saying "That workout was fantastic. #Blessed."

Where they're headed

With his size and mobility, Jones has turned heads and has gained the attention of several teams. In addition to the Falcons, Jones has also received great interest from the Seattle Seahawks and the Baltimore Ravens, the defending Super Bowl champs.

Projected as a late-round draft choice or an undrafted free agent pickup, Jones will almost assuredly get a chance to prove himself with a professional team.

"I know that whether I'm drafted or not, somebody will take a chance on me and I'll get the opportunity to prove myself," said Jones. "That's all I want. I just need that chance."

With his name likely being called on Saturday, Jones plans to leave Montgomery Thursday and watch the draft at home over the weekend.

Spence, meanwhile, looks like a virtual lock to get drafted. Slotted by most experts as a mid-round selection, Spence's name most often appears in the third and fourth rounds of mock drafts, with teams like the Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys mentioned as possible landing spots. But according to NationalFootballPost.com, Spence is seeing a surge in his draft stock recently, as the website lists Spence as one of five players surging as the draft nears, projecting the former Viking to possibly sneak into the second round.

Profile: Ranked as the 10th best defensive tackle in the draft by CBSSports.com, Spence opted to forgo his senior season of eligibility at Illinois to enter the draft after a decorated career in Champaign. Spence, who signed with Illinois after a standout career at Fort Walton Beach, was named a Freshman All-America performer in 2010 before earning All Big-Ten honors as a sophomore and a junior. A classic run-stopping defensive tackle, Spence turned in a strong performance at the NFL Combine in late February. The defensive lineman lifted 225-pounds 37 times, good for third-best among linemen. According to CBS Football analyst Pat Kirwan, Spence ranks among the ten most explosive players in this year's draft, and predictions on Spence's draft position generally fall in the third or fourth round.

The experts say: "In a year with numerous high end defensive tackles, Spence has slid through the draft process with virtually no attention from the media, but NFL teams really like what they have seen. A highly competitive player with great intangibles, Spence impressed many with a strong workout at his pro day, which convinced teams he has the athleticism to carry over his production to the NFL. Although he lacks ideal height, Spence’s initial quickness, ability to play with leverage, playing strength and top level athleticism have teams confident he can be a starting DT in a 43 scheme or DE in a 34 scheme. Do not be surprised if Spence gets drafted higher than many of the other more publicized DT’s and ends up being selected in the second round." - NationalFootballPost.com

Teams that could be interested: When talking about teams that want to get stronger up front defensively, the list is long. But teams that seem to be paying the most attention to Spence include the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears among others.

Profile: An overlooked recruit coming out of Choctaw High School four years ago, Jones headed to Alabama State, where he became one of the SWAC's best and most reliable players. After earning playing time as a freshman, Jones quickly asserted himself as a cornerstone for Alabama State, starting every game from his sophomore season until his career ended. In that span, Jones earned All-SWAC honors for three straight seasons, and in 2012, he was a critical building block for an offense that scored a conference-best 33 points per game. Though he played at a small school well under the radar of most media outlets, scouts know exactly who Jones is, as his pro-day at Alabama State brought in a record number of scouts to Montgomery. According to NFL Draft expert Gil Brandt, Jones stood out during the workout. Projections for small-school players can be erratic, but scouts believe Jones could be a late-round draft choice or a valuable find in post-draft free agency.

The experts say: "The first thing you will hear about Terren Jones is his mammoth size, standing at 6-8, 345. The thing that the scouts hear most about is how gracefully this left tackle can move for a man that big. After his recent pro day at Alabama State that drew in a record number of scouts, Terren has positioned himself to not be one of the top Tackles coming out of a small school but one of the top small-school prospects period." - NFLDraftBible.com

Teams that could be interested: Draft followers have noticed that the Baltimore Ravens, the defending Super Bowl champions, have shown great interest in Jones, as have the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons were in Montgomery, Ala., on Friday to give Jones a private workout.